Class: Saber Attribute: Man Source: Literature Region: Iceland Alignment: Chaotic Good Likes: Facing tough challenges, His family, Being praised as a hero Dislikes: Boredom, easy tasks, thieves, demonic beasts, a bad reputation
Strength: B
Agility: C
Luck: E
Endurance: A
Mana: E
Noble Phantasm: C
Class Skills
Riding: C++
Grettir has never been known for riding any mounts, mostly travelling by foot. However, if one were to say... challenge him to tame a phantasmal beast or particularly dangerous animal, well... he can't possibly refuse, can he? Given his experience at fighting monsters, it wouldn't be impossible with his sheer strength... so long as sufficient force and intimidation was being applied of course. This means he wouldn't be able to tame anything that wasn't intimidated by his strength.
Magic Resistance: E
Alas, Grettir has little if any magical resistance at all. Given how easily Glamr cursed him and channels curses through his body.
Madness Enhancement: E~B
Despite his short temper, Grettir technically is of sound mind and would not normally qualify for this skill. Instead, his madness is a result of Glam's curse.
Personal Skills
Wanderlust: C
A skill wielded by Heroic Spirits who are either destined to seek out a certain location but also those who hold a restless nature. Practically speaking, it acts like a “sixth sense” that guides the user to danger. A skill that represents Grettir's restless nature as he wandered from place to place fighting monsters.
Glamr's Last Breath: A
According to the tale, Glam cursed Grettir with his final breath. From that point onwards, Grettir would face nothing but bad luck and he would only grow weaker. In addition, Glamr's eyes would haunt Grettir in the dark wherever he went. In reality, Glamr's wraith has latched itself onto Grettir's sword, channeling the grudges of defeated enemies into more minor curses that affect his sanity. Grettir can also temporarily boost his physical strength in a manner similar to Mana Burst by using the curses channeled by Glamr as fuel. In exchange, Grettir's body experiences sever exhaustion and even physical damage the more he uses this skill.
Monster Slayer (Undead): C++
A skill wielded by those who have killed many supernatural creatures in life. Grettir spent his exile mostly fighting the undead wherever he went, and has gained an advantage against them in combat as a result. Although this advantage is mainly a tactical one, hence the skill's low rank,it should be noted that Jokulsnaut's properties as a weapon can increase the potency of this advantage while its being wielded.
Background Information
Lore:
The wandering outlaw and protagonist of the Icelandic story, Grettis Saga. He was born a prodigy with superhuman strength and great intellect, but he was also incredibly lazy and capricious. He was exiled from his home after he killed a man on suspicion of stealing his food. Grettir would spend much of his time traveling Iceland Scandinavia, fighting the undead in whatever village he found himself staying in. However, due to his short temper and violent tendencies, Grettir can also get into conflict with authorities. His most well known feat is killing the undead monster known as Glamr. It is said that with his dying breath, Glamr cursed Grettir to a life of misfortune, bad luck, and weakness.
Personality:
Grettir is someone who cares a great deal about his reputation, and is very aware of his own potential. While this seems to stand in contrast to his apparent laziness, in truth, Grettir is only interested in doing things he deems worthy of his strength and intelligence. He shirks simple tasks and seeks out impossible challenges with gusto. Because of this great pride in his nature, Grettir also has a bad temper that responds badly to perceived insults.
Of course, this doesn’t mean he’s an entirely terrible person. Grettir isn’t averse to living peacefully or helping others, it’s just that boosting his own legend and reputation takes a major priority for him. Grettir is also prone to getting bored quickly if he feels he isn’t being challenged.
Ever since he was cursed by Glamr, Grettir has grown a bit more aware,of his faults; leading to a nervous paranoia whenever he is about to get involved in anything and a deep anger when he fails to act heroic. This is, of course, not because he failed to help someone, but mainly because he failed to live up to the image of a hero.
Noble Phantasm
Foul whisper in the winds, and a glare in the dark. Behold the Draugr, the specter of your downfall. Graaaarrghhhh!!!
Azure-Eyed Specter of Vengeance
Glamr
Rank: C Classification: Spirit Invocation Range: - Max. Targets: -
The fragment of Glamr that has latched onto Grettir grows stronger the more "curses" it absorbs from the latter's defeated enemies. Once these "curses" reach their maximum capacity, the undead form of Glamr summons himself in a physical form to rampage with no distinction for who he harms. This Noble Phantasm usually activate on its own and at inconvenient moments without its Grettir's input. In the rare circumstance that Grettir and Glamr can agree on a mutual goal, the former can call upon this Noble Phantasm's true name and channel the latter into powerful blade of cursed energy that envelops Grettir's sword. This Noble Phantasm also has the effect of purging the amassed "curses" from Glamr's Last Breath.
Notes
A little servant sheet I made for one of the Servants that showed up in Horizon Gate 3 while I work on HG4 and settle into my new life in College. The idea of Grettir, this wandering swordsman haunted by a defeated foe and cursed with a spiraling downfall, was one I really wanted to make a sheet out of. After watching some videos on him, Grettir's personality and the fact that his downfall isn't also entirely the curse's fault but also the fault of his own personality is amusing to me. For this sheet, I wanted to make Glamr's curse as somewhere between both a boon and a burden. Something that Grettir would keep trying to use against tough opponent despite its downsides.
Last edited by Desdinova Incarnate; October 10th, 2023 at 12:38 AM.
Nice to see another Servant sheet from ya Desdinova! His Personal Skills are nice-the Last Breath one is my favourite. Seeing the stats in full gives the Horizon Log he was in greater personally speaking.
Looks at Saber Gilles and his Madness Enhancement EX.
Uh...
Irrelevant, since he still has Riding and MR. Servants that straddle the line between Classes frequently can have an extra Class Skill, such as Lartoria having the Riding Skill. But I don’t recall a Servant ever having their own Class Skills missing and being replaced with a different Class’ before and that is what I was querying.
"Here's a bangin lil' tune about takin' on The Man!"
(Check out my Super Special Awesome Servant Compendium here)
Irrelevant, since he still has Riding and MR. Servants that straddle the line between Classes frequently can have an extra Class Skill, such as Lartoria having the Riding Skill. But I don’t recall a Servant ever having their own Class Skills missing and being replaced with a different Class’ before and that is what I was querying.
Aye, fair enough. My brain forgot.
In the hidden plains of the Internet, there are only the lurkers.
"Oh, hey, morning Master! Nice to meet you! I'm sorry, I'm not a very good servant. I'll need some advice. But I'll do my best!"
Class: Assassin
Other Classes: N/A
True Name: Liu Shan
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Place of Origin: China (3rd Century)
Stars: 4/5
Parameters:
STR: D
END: B
AGI: C
MGI: D
LCK: D
NP: B
Height: 167cm
Weight: 140lbs
Likes: Caution, carefulness, his people, appearing to not be a threat
Dislikes: Attempted puppeteers, rashness
Talent: Pretending to be a puppet
Natural Enemy: Zhuge Liang, Empress Lu
Attribute: Man
Traits: Humanoid, Male, Weak to Enuma Elish
Armament: Butterfly sword, deer horn knives, Emeici
Catalyst: A map of China during the Three Kingdoms Era
Class Skills:
Presence Concealment N/A: This class skill has been replaced with Lebusishu.
Personal Skills:
Advice of the Generals B: The manifestation of the advice of his many extremely effective advisors/regents, including Zhuge Liang, Fei Yi, Jiang Wei, Jiang Wan, and Zhao Yun. Manifests as a skill akin to Revelation, permitting him to view what they believe to be the best course of action in circumstances. However, these strategies usually don't truly come from the advisors, as in truth this skill is better described as "Unrecognised Tactics", the strategies Liu Shan used throughout his life, noted for his caution and strategies that wound up being very effective, the opposite of his advisors who advocated for sheer force.
"Why would one wish to attack in a scenario when they're utterly outmatched?"
Lebusishu B: A statement he said after his kingdom was taken down, when he was granted the position of duke. "I enjoy life here, and don't think of Shu at all." This was popularly shown as an example of his "idiocy", and as such as a skill it reinforces the idea of him being an idiot. No matter who sees him, no matter if they know he's a servant, or even see his skills, he will appear to them as merely a weak, fragile person with no idea of anything that's going on who's utterly incompetent.
"Reminiscing is a virtue, that's true. But... it's better to work for the future, not for the past. Isn't that true?"
Caution in All B: A skill akin to Disengage, granted to one who always laid an escape measure behind him whenever something could go wrong. This permits him to utilize this skill after attacks, increasing his own Endurance and Agility for a brief point to ensure that his strategies worked effectively.
"Never fight without a way to escape."
Information Erasure C: Assassin refused to create a historical record of his own actions, unlike courts before and after, breaking with the tradition of the court. As such, much of the actions of his reign were lost to time and history long ago. After Assassin's exiting of the scene, records of him being there vanish.
"If I had records, how would I keep up the element of surprise?"
The manifestation of how Assassin outwardly appeared to be controlled by his advisors, but in truth he was doing his own thing while playing those who attempted to use him against each other, most notably when he clawed his way into political influence and power after his kingdom fell, and when he named the completely opposing Jiang Wei and Fei Yi as being co-regents.
What appears to be an illusory chain appears between Assassin and his targets when this noble phantasm activates, before it shatters, with that clawing away the power of that enemy while making it seem like that enemy was the one who "truly performed the damage" that Liu Shan did, making him seem like a mere puppet once again. It also deals large quantities of damage. This increases in power against those who attempted to control him.
Lore: Liu Shan, Emperor Huai of Han, was the second and final emperor of the kingdom known as Shu Han, one of the Three Kingdoms during the eponymous era of china. He inherited the throne after his father's death, but his father set up a "regent" position prior to his inheritance to ensure everything would go smoothly. Liu took that position out of the picture by placing people in it who he played against each other, causing such a conflict that he appeared to be merely following their advice, but in truth he was performing his own actions. Still, his kingdom's military had fallen apart during Zhuge Liang's regency when Liu was young, and the schemes he performed eventually collapsed. So he surrendered peacefully to protect his people, and became a duke in Cao Wei, where he pretended to be unintelligent while gaining power, up until his death.
Personality: A shrewd and cunning person, disguising it behind a friendly, personable, and somewhat idiotic-seeming face. He seems to be easily influenced by the people around him, so no one truly believes that he's actually performing his actions, just as a puppet. But in truth, he is the one behind his actions, and not a puppeteer. His wish for the grail was to have increased Shu Han's military enough to defeat Wei.
Relationships:
Zhuge Liang: "Oh, my beloved advisor. How wonderful to see you again! I could use some advice, if you wouldn't mind."
Emperor Hui: "...Ugh. Listen. Don't let people puppeteer you. Turn the tables on them. ...Why am I telling you? Well... permit me to say, I was a bit inspired by you."
Empress Lu: "...Your strategy seems impressive, Empress. Let's see if it holds now, if you don't mind, I'd love your aid."
Empress Wei: "Oh, hello, Empress! I have a quick question."
Shangguan Wan'er: "...Oh! I heard a lot about you. Is it true you were a regent? I could use the help of one right now."
A concerned official from the capital, speaking on behalf of the Taira clan, had sent for him. He said he wished for Benkei to exorcise a ghost that had been haunting the streets of the capital late at night. Over the course of the last few weeks, hundreds of warriors patrolling the capital grounds - most of them connected to the Taira clan - had been found dead in the streets, their heads missing from their bodies. In a month, seven hundred warriors had been found like this.
They had sent for a monk to exorcise this vengeful spirit, and Benkei had answered the call. He’d gone out into the capital that same night, clutching his polearm and rosary, wandering the dim streets of Heian-kyo in the light of the full moon.
But he did not find a ghost. He found a dark-haired youth, barely fifteen years of age, stood atop a pile of corpses so high he was looking down at Benkei from atop it, still in the midst of the bloody business of separating the heads of his kills from their blood-soaked bodies. He’d never forget those eyes, coldly reflected in the moon, filled with an animated hatred that belied the youth’s slight frame:
“Are you one of Kiyomori’s dogs, too? If so, dog of the Heike…accept your demise!”
True Name: Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune Origin: Historical Fact, Heike Monogatari,Yoshitsune Among the Isles, Kurama Tengu, Gikeiki, etc. Region: Japan. Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Gender: Male Hidden Attribute: Earth
Background:
The son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo. One of the most celebrated generals in the history of Japan. Though only one player amongst many in the Heike Monogatari, the story of the toppling of the Taira clan by the combined efforts of multiple branches of the Minamoto clan, his unflinching loyalty to his brother and tragic death catapulted Yoshitsune to the center stage as one of the most celebrated warriors in Japanese history. Tales sprung up about his training under the Kurama Tengu as a child, slaying bandits at the age of fourteen, and traveling as far abroad as Ezo (Hokkaido) to steal a book of magic secrets from a dastardly oni. The Yoshitsune of folklore became a humble, kind, multi-talented hero, never far from his storied retainer Benkei.
Of course, the Yoshitsune of later folklore, the one for whom the term “判官贔屓”or “Sympathy for the MagistrateRooting for the Underdog” was coined, was a far cry from the man depicted in the Heike Monogatari. A military prodigy who was raised first among the monks of Kurama-dera and later the Northern Fujiwara, during the Genpei War he frequently clashed with his generals and only listened to his brother, on whose command he killed his cousin Yoshinaka. Continuing to hound the Heike after they were shattered at the Battle of Kurikara, he defeated them again at Ichi-no-Tani, Yashima, and finally at the decisive battle at Dan-no-Ura. Ingratiating himself with Go-Shirakawa on the back of his victories, he ascended quickly within the Imperial court, fast enough that his half-brother Yoritomo feared he may attempt to usurp him as head of the Minamoto. And so, Yoshitsune suffered the same fate he had inflicted on Yoshinaka. What goes around comes around.
His story remains much the same here. Trained by the Great Tengu of Kurama, then spending some time in Heian-kyo and Mutsu Province under the protection of the still-powerful northern Fujiwara clan. For six years, he had various adventures around Japan, including both his meeting with Benkei and his journey to Ezo. He joined his brother in Kamakura in 1180, and officially obtained the name Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune along with the sword Usumidori, a blade formerly in possession of Minamoto-no-Raikou. He would remain in Kamakura for four years until his half-brother committed his forces to the Genpei War, first against his cousin Minamoto-no-Yoshinaka, then laterally against the Taira clan. Then, in 1186, his brother decides the last obstacle on the road to peace under a benevolent military dictatorship is Yoshitsune himself, who flees back to Mutsu province, where he would make a last stand alongside his concubine Shizuka Gozen and his retainer Benkei a scant three years later.
Parameters: STR C END B AGI A+ MAN B LCK A
"You have learned well, Shana-o."
His teacher has taken a thousand forms as long as the young man has known him. He has been man and woman, monster and beast and everything in between. He has taught him the hows and whens of fighting, told him stories of his father and kindled his thirst for revenge. All, of course, out of the goodness of his heart...
Because of course tengu do that. Do things out of the goodness of their hearts. People condemned to immortality for their sins have a change of heart all the time. Sojobo isn't one of the Three Great Evils all the time. Why else would he invest so much time teaching an orphaned temple attendant? What would he have to gain from raising a one-of-a-kind killer?
"You have learned all I can teach you. But if you still want more, well...I've heard tell of this oni king in faraway Ezo, who hoards a book that allows its owner to command the winds..."
He sees the glint in his student's eye and he knows he has him in the palm of his hand.
Personality:
Undeniably talented but unspeakably arrogant. Clever, articulate and capable of concealing his true nature in front of those he does not expect will ever see him at war. To them, he appears as a peaceful and contemplative man, musically gifted, courteous, and a reluctant warrior who simply believes in restoring peace through necessary violence. Don’t trust the façade.
Beneath that exterior is the beating heart of a vicious killer, an attack dog only kept on a short leash by the promise of more enemies. Having no real desires in life beyond showcasing his prowess and playing the underdog, his Master occupies a position of advantage over him very similar to that of Yoritomo. What his Master tells him to hate, he will hate. What his Master tells him to kill, he will kill, by hook or by crook. Provided they do not walk back on their word, of course. Or fail to give due deference to the one true super-genius in the room.
"Of course, if you'd prefer to not sit back as I win your war for you, I will humor your request. But do not be surprised if you become like a horse at Ichi-no-Tani, killed by your own recklessness."
He makes no effort to understand ordinary people, but does believe he knows what they want: a put-upon, relateable underdog. As such, he is happy to place himself in that role in order to profit from the goodwill it affords him. And if people go above and beyond to help him, he is more than happy to take everything they can afford...not that they should expect anything in return.
While a military man of some reknown, the truth is that Yoshitsune is not much of a strategic thinker. While he is happy to do everything he can to put himself in a position of advantage before committing to an attack, once it has been committed, he is a rather uncomplicated thinker, preferring a direct attack with overwhelming violence. A demon of the battlefield who sweeps his enemies away with shows of overwhelming force and skill.
"It's no good to think about losing before you've committed to battle. If you've already planned for failure, you're going to fail. Don't be a deer, Master. Be a boar."
Class Skills:
Magic Resistance B - Cancel spells with a chant below three verses. Even if targeted by greater magecraft and Greater Rituals, it is difficult for them to be affected. Riding B - Lowered compared to when he manifests in the Rider class. Most vehicles and animals can be handled with above-average skill, even vehicles that did not exist in the time period one was alive in.
Personal Skills:
Tengu Art of War A - Unchanged from Rider. A broad knowledge of martial arts, military tactics and esoteric shugendo practices learned from studying under the Great Tengu of Kurama. Jinsokutsū B - One of the six supernatural arts of shugendo, the Knowledge of Unimpeded Movement. At this rank, it allows the user to move at supernatural speed and walk on both air and water as though it were solid ground. Biiki Hogan B - Meaning “Sympathy for the Magistrate,” with the same connotations as “Rooting for the Underdog” in the English language, a phrase derived from the later framing of the tale of Yoshitsune as the quintessential tragic hero. A variant of Charisma, it contains both the capacity to command armies and the elicting of sympathy for one’s actions as long as one can frame themselves as Just A Little Guy.
"I saw my father in the Pure Land. Teacher took me through the Hells to see him. He said he saw my future. That I would live forever in the minds of everyone, if only I destroyed the Heike, root and stem. How could I refuse a request from no less than a Buddha?"
Noble Phantasms:
Treasure of the Seiwa Genji
Usumidori
Anti-Unit C+
One of the Three Treasures of the Seiwa Genji alongside the swords Onikiri and Doujigiri Yasutsuna, presented to Yoshitsune upon receiving the name. Called Gumokiri (Spider-Cutter) in the service of Raikou, Yoshitsune renamed it Usumidori (’light green’) in honor of the forests around Mount Kurama. An always-active Noble Phantasm that shows its true potential when facing demons.
Yoshitsune At War
Wandering Tales of Shana-o
Anti-Unit (Self) A++
A Noble Phantasm possessed by Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune that, like his Rider incarnation, is composed of a series of hidden techniques. However, owing to their different life experiences and adventures, these secret techniques differ from those of Rider. The techniques available to Saber are:
Secret Techniques
Yoshitsune Among the Isles
Law of the Dainichi Budha
Anti-Army Secret Technique
A scroll containing the so-called “Law of the Dainichi Buddha,” stolen from the oni king of Ezo when Yoshitsune successfully convinced his daughter he was an incarnation of Bishamon, seducing her and requesting she steal the scroll from her father’s treasury. Using the magic found in the book, he called a great wind that blew his ship all the way to Tosa, far out of reach of the jealous oni king, who took his anger out on his daughter instead.
As a Servant, this allows Yoshitsune to command the wind, calling great storms to disrupt his foes or calming the winds to allow safe passage for himself and his allies.
Yoshitsune In the Capital
Hashi Benkei
Anti-Unit Secret Technique
And so they fought, now closing, now breaking.
What shall Benkei do? For when he thinks that he has conquered,
With his little sword, the boy thrusts the blow aside.
Again and again Benkei strikes.
Again and again his blows are parried,
Till at last even he, mighty Benkei,
Can do battle no longer.
Not a Reality Marble, but rather a small imposition on the world. A corpse-ridden street, an echo of that fateful night in Heian-kyo and the duel that secured his most loyal retainer. A limited-time imposition of a “dueling space” with only two contestants, unaffected by the comings and goings of the world. Unlike Achilles' similar Noble Phantasm, it imposes no restriction based on bravery or gender. After all, no one will witness the duel, so what does it matter if it's fair?
Yoshitsune In Love?
Joruri
Anti-Unit Secret Technique (Self)
A restoration-type Secret Technique, derived from the tale of Lady Joruri, a noblewoman whom Yoshitsune convinced to sleep with him in spite of her convictions and desire to remain pure as she spoke funerary sutras for her father. Later, when he was gravely ill, she would leave her estate to pray for him, restoring him to life. It is unknown what happened to her after Yoshitsune made two tengu attendants deliver her and her handmaiden home.
Should his Spirit Core become sufficiently compromised, he can employ this Secret Technique to restore himself to full strength. However, it can only be used once per summoning.
Relationships:
Benkei: One of the few people Yoshitsune ever felt a genuine affection for. Perhaps the monk, wise, clear-eyed and just as bellicose as his master, recognized and forgave Yoshitsune for merely following his nature to its logical conclusion. Nobody else would have gotten away with slapping him in public to let him pass as a menial, no matter how much his life may have been on the line.
Yoritomo: While aware, on some level, that Yoritomo caused his death, he still sees Yoritomo as his great benefactor. As long as he kept winning, Yoritomo would let him make war his way and would ask no questions about who had to die to make it happen. This doesn't mean he has forgiven Yoritomo's betrayal. Should they be summoned in the same place, they are likely to come to blows. No, he simply understands that Yoritomo feared what a man like him might become in an age of peace.
Yoshinaka: Beyond just one killing the other, the two are fundamentally incompatible. An inhuman person who has no interest in connecting with humanity and a human who attempts to connect with the inhuman. A warrior who fights for peace and a killer who thrives in war. An embodiment of Hachiman and a student of the Kurama Tengu. They are enemies, and remain enemies, but there is a purity in that enmity. It is not hatred, merely acceptance that one must die.
Field Notes
One half of a...I'm not really going to call it a "rework" so much as a "revision" of everyone's favorite boat-hopping raccoon and his cousin. This came from me reading the introduction to Helen McCullough's translation of the 15th century Yoshitsune chronicle and realizing what a tremendous dick he is to everyone around him, especially in the early Muromachi period literature before he becomes the celebrated hero. Combine that with the early medieval interpretation of the Kurama Tengu as a more explicitly malevolent god-like force, and you have a recipe for an "I can make him worse" moment.
The Crown of the Flower Blooms to the Sound of Clashing Steel
【🗡️🗡️🗡️
THE CROWN DOTH SEE
🗡️
🗡️🗡️🗡️】
Fiore Dei Liberi
BOND Biography
Alias:
Flower of the Battle, The Lynx of War
Class:
Saber ; (Lancer, Rider | Candidate for Foreigner)
True Name:
Fiore dei Liberi
Source:
Historical Figure
Gender:
Male
Region:
Italy
Master:
Narcisa Fulgenico
Attribute:
Man
Challenge Rating:
A++
Armament:
Sword, Lance, Axe, Dagger
STR B
END B
AGI B
LUK B
MAG E
NP E->EX
BOND Prowess Magic Resistance — B+
A rather advanced form of Magic Resistance allotted to Saber. It is perplexing how exactly Saber reached this rank, considering his complete disconnect to magecraft—Saber claims that it is a simple formula: Since Saber is the noble Sword, and the Sword is the purest armament of offense and defense, the 'impure' magecraft tends to fluctuate and disperse against his skin.
Ah! Well, if he says so.The Elephant doth wander the wilderness with clarity and perseverance alike, and is not concerned with those beneath him. In his perilous journey, he came across disciples of an ancient Sicilian wonder-worker who rode and became an Elephant—he studied under them to perfect his swordsmanship, and even defeated one of the Masters in the temple who yearned for his
Secret
Crown
.
Riding — A
All vehicles and all creatures but those of Phantasmal Beast and Divine Beast-rank can be used as mounts. This rank is high enough to have an aptitude for the Rider Class. Beside his swordsmanship lessons, Saber taught mounted combat and excelled in it as he did with any other art he picked up. It seems that, as the Crown above the Sword of the Elephant, Saber can subdue all animals to his will.
Except...Saber can handle three mounted opponents at once, with a technique he dubs "Boar's Tusk." Originally, he devised this skill by reaching the menagerie of the Mistress of the Animals; the Huntresses of Artemis remained there, treating their Lady's phantasmal companions. He studied their actions from afar, and understood the handling of Tameless Boars. Once, he was discovered, and the Huntresses drew their bows and mounted their companions—all for naught, of course. Saber had already mastered the Boar's Tusk, and mounted a Tameless Boar of his own. Saber can, after careful observation, subjugate all sort of mythical creatures to his will by degrading their nature with his
Secret
Crown
.
Quartet de Magistrate — A++
The art of fencing is that of one beautiful song, and every man worth a dime knows about a quarter of this melody. But those who call themselves Masters know far more than a quarter, and the Masters of the Masters, at the top of the noble hierarchy, know all four cardinal virtues; Lynx (Prudence), Tiger (Celerity), Lion (Audacity), Elephant (Fortitude). Those who know all four cardinals are those known as Eternal Arms Masters, but people like Fiore surpass even that. He is able to tap into the four quarters one at a time as stances for the maximization of the trait associated with that quarter. When combined with Fiore's general dexterity and agility, this is like putting all of your skill points into one stat, and then resetting your stat block and applying the points to another stat mid-strike.
Sub Rosa, A Voi — A
A state of unpredictability. Fiore dei Liberi was known for having kept his secrets close to his chest; his students never spoke of his swordsmanship, and Fiore's masters who pried into his secrets were met with vicious humiliating defeat. Saber reveals himself only to those worthy of his wisdom, and Saber is not afraid to completely rid himself of the fundamentals to surprise his enemies. He was known for his contest mocking, shit-talking and condescending attitude in combat and out of it. He was not too proud to use dirty tricks to defeat his opponents, like a certain Japanese Sword Saint.
Thanks to Quartet de Magistrate, all of his attacks are made up of combinations of stat tides and instantaneous changes, so it is impossible even for those with Instinct A to foresee his fight style's specificity.
The
Secret
Crown
- A
The Crown of the Lynx. The ability to perceive things even through solid objects. Saber was a madman capable of observing the truth of the world only through combat, and was thus addicted to its implications. This is his secret, the one he couldn't utter to his masters. The exact "Truth" revealed to him is still unknown, not revealed in any piece of literature, nor any personalized poem or lesson. It is the basic law of his swordsmanship, and it brings him up to par with Sword Saints.
BOND Noble Phantasm
Blooming Petals Manifest as Thorns
Seven Swords de Flos Duellatorum
¶ This Master with these swords signifies the seven blows of the sword. And the four
animals signify four virtues, that is prudence, celerity, fortitude, and audacity. And
whoever wants to be good in this art should have part in these virtues.
Four distinguished animals that allow the Master of the Sword to impress the evidence of their mastery upon all spirits. Whoever will have these virtues will have honor in weapons, as bespeaks the art. And though the wielder of a sword utilizes the four virtues, a true Master of the Sword embodies the
Seven Swords
Seven Blows
, as well as the One
Secret
Crown
which discerns all under the sky and countermeasures whatever it pleases.
Whenever Saber is met with an attack, he replies with a riposte, activating a Cardinal Direction or Diagonal Key. No matter the status of the riposte (successful or otherwise), this prompts a chain-reaction which activates the relevant oppositional stance. If Saber was to be attacked from the right side, which is attributed to the Lion, then he will enter the opposite stance, belonging to the Tiger. Entering stances this way boosts the corresponding stat (Elephant-Endurance, Lion-Strength, Tiger-Agility) to its highest conclusion at the cost of one's Luck stat decreasing by one rank. In battle, this activation is labeled "One Sword," and is a vital step to the activation of Saber's Noble Phantasm.
Diagonal Keys, which represent the blank space between each virtue, are also One Swords. Regularly, they would only be used against fellow Noblemen and never be shown to peasants. They cannot be achieved through Quartet de Magistrate, but instead, are accessed through the
Secret
Crown
. The skill of "The Crown" is activated through an Elephant Riposte. It is noteworthy that Diagonal Keys are said to represent four flowers, but the identity of these flowers is unknown even to other purported masters of Saber's art.
Several "One Sword" can be activated in a single battle—in fact, that's the whole point of Saber's fighting style, to activate as many Swords as he can. Saber's 'endgame stats' should be A++ in all physical stats, with Luck descending to E.
Akin to a blooming flower, the Noble Phantasm created by activating all Seven Swords & One Crown is a manifestation of unfolding petals. A Sword Technique which stands beside Sword Saints and True Magicians. Fiore dei Liberi believes that all battles must end in Three Strikes. Unfortunately, he is forced into battles that extend much further than that. By using his
Secret
Crown
, Saber can imitate the Fifth Magic and rearrange all of his strikes into Three Instances at the end of combat; this attack is akin to an instantaneous execution, and may only be used against Nobles such as Saber himself. The sheer heat and power that emanates from this violation of the Second Law of Thermodynamics makes Fiore a terrifying opponent befitting his grandeur.
BOND Woes & Concerns
Personality
Likes:
Observing the scenery, underdogs, shit-talking his enemies
Dislikes:
Self-righteous peasants, thieves and jealous people who show potential, fairies
Talents:
Taunting the enemy
Natural enemy:
Melissa Calendula Perforatum, Archer
Relationships
> Narcisa Fulgenico - "How doth the Lady swim beside shit and sewage water? She is a defiled entity that came into contact with far too many abominations. But, she refrains from asking for my
Secret
Crown
, so she must be a fool of grand proportions. I'm best at handling those kind of people, anyway. With me, she cannot lose."
> Archer - "A barbarian given a crown will remain a barbarian nonetheless. To attempt such a thing... To usurp a Pope! In the middle of a war? Ridiculous."
> Amytis Sinistrari - "She is the kind of person who would search for my
Secret
Crown
incessantly, but Narcisa does trust her. Which is, of course, unfortunate. She has the air of a noblewoman, but she is nonetheless a pagan who scams even the gods of her land. As someone who looks eye to eye with those very same gods in terms of grandeur and achievements, I'd say it's a shame to see such blatant disregard to her superiors and ancestors."
> Ruler - "Now that—this is a Holy Grail War! Ha. I'd have yearned to fight him if it wasn't for His damned Master. That boy is a complete cheater, but I'm not one to speak."
Author's Note (Delusion Warning)
So—the most frightening servant in this war, and he's not contracted to the protagonist. To top it all, he's an Italian servant fighting in an Italian town, so he gets a natural fame boost. Really makes him insurmountable, no?
While I work my way from Berserker's Magus to Saber's Magus, I'll release Saber up to Berserker. To build up hype? Maybe. Because I'm burnt out on magi? Oh definitely.
Ruler is a summoned servant, and this has an explanation behind it. It's not just because Ruler's master is a cheater, or because of Grail Ritual Modifications, though both are relevant to the story. It's relevant to the true nature of this Holy Grail War.
Anyway, this is my Fifth-Magician-Swordsman in response to Japan's Second-Magician-Swordsman. The majority of Fiore's backstory is going to be made up, gleamed through his techniques and general nasuverse lore of 14th century Europe. We don't really know how, when, or where Fiore died. At some point, he just disappeared from the records. So, Foreigner Fiore, when?
Originally Posted by Random
For a moment I had a flash of inspiration about a NP that mixes and matches the attributes of its targets... Unfortunately, Barbara Walker is alive...
Fiore dei Liberi: God this sheet is amazing. So well-written, the fencing lore is deeply fascinating, and the Servant just exudes charisma and terror in equal measure. Absolutely fantastic work!
This will be my first fanservant, English is not my original language so I'm using Google Translate
true name: lu bu fengxian
class:rider
alternate class: assassin, lancer, archer, berserker
origin: historical fact, romance of three kingdoms
gender: male
atributte: man
height:190 cm
weight: 89 kl
alignment: chaotic evil
likes: betrayal, his wife, chen gong
deslikes: betrayal, siege
natural enemy: his wife
BACKGROUND: The General of Repetition of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. He is an infamously treacherous military commander from the Three Kingdoms era. For two times he cut down his foster fathers, and to repeat the act of betrayal on countless occasions was an unbelievable act for the China that esteemed the Confucian morals. Still, his military exploits, deeds of arms are unmatched and he was counted as one of the strongest in the world of the Three Kingdoms.
He betrayed Ding Yuan who appointed him to a high position and conspired with Demon Lord Dong Zhuo, who had grasped the central hegemony. But even Dong Zhuo was betrayed and assassinated. He betrayed Dong Zhuo because he was crazily in love with Diao Chan
Lü Bu excelled at shooting on horseback, and because of this gift he was likened to the expert of the bow of the Han Dynasty: the "Flying General" Li Guang. The time when the hero of the Three Kingdoms Liu Bei, who Lü Bu called his sworn brother, was cornered by Yuan Shu's military commander, Ji Ling is a man of great influence and Lü Bu's ally. As he did not like the fight between the two, Lü Bu commanded for a halberd to be erected at the camp's gate 150 steeps away. Both the Earth and Heavens aligned in perfect harmony. It was said that the arrow he shot hit the target beautifully and Ji Ling withdrew his army. This event is later called Gate Halberd Shot
« I will shoot an arrow, and if it hits the small blade sticking out from the side of that halberd, withdraw your forces. If it doesn't hit, you may fight as much as you like. »
(Lü Bu)
After this, he wandered around Zhongyuan, going through many battles, but in the end was attacked and defeated by an opposing general, Cao Cao, due the betrayal of a subordinate. He was then executed.[4][6]
Lü Bu's selfishness was strong and he believed that there was no military commander in this world above himself, but it seems that he let his guard down towards the strategist Chen Gong, who made use of him "effectively" in his tactics until the end.
PERSONALITY: a completely unpleasant and manipulative man with a fascinating bloodlust, he will certainly betray his master sooner or later simply because he can, despite this he has a genuine friendship with cheng gong and red hare, he also genuinely loves his wife diao chan
CLASS SKILL
magic resistance B: Cancel spells with a chant below three verses. Even if targeted by greater magecraft and Greater Rituals, it is difficult for them to be affected
riding skill C: is a Skill that denotes a Servants ability to ride mounts and vehicles, because he only rides his red hare horse he has this skill at a low level
PERSONAL SKILL:
valor A: the ability to negate mental interference such as pressure, confusion and fascination. It also has the bonus effect of increasing melee damage
nature of a rebellious spirit B: The disposition to never remain at one location and never embrace a lord. A wandering star that does not have the capacity to be king nor is capable of finding his own king. Negates the effects of Charisma with the same rank
ruthless warrior of the turbulent times A: A skill that represents the fame of Lu Bu as rowdy general.
NOBLE PHANTASM
God Force: The Five Soldiers of the War God is the True Name of the Houtengageki (Sky Piercer), a two handed halberd known as Lu Bu's primary weapon and Noble Phantasm. It was a masterpiece of a weapon due to its versatility that put to use all major characteristics of large two handed weapons, allowing it to be efficient in slashing, thrusting, battering, scything, and sweeping. The actual weapon was from the Northern Song era, and didn't exist while Lü Bu was active. God Force was actually a Chinese gadget created by Chen Gong, a military adviser, who thought it up in order to aid Lü Bu during numerous dangerous predicaments resulting from each time he betrayed a lord. To be exact, it is the strongest weapon born from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms era of China.
Chen Gong saw a War God in Lü Bu's strength and form, and projected on him the image of China's oldest God of War, Chi You, who was said to be the inventor of the war axe, shield, bow & arrow, and held a different weapon in each of his six arms. The result born from this idea was an artificial, multi-mode Noble Phantasm super weapon that had six forms in order to let the many martial techniques of Lü Bu bloom as he pleased in order to take advantage of his opponent's weaknesses. It has three different categorizations of varying strength, and it can be said Lü Bu has the equivalent of six Servants' worth of Noble Phantasms for himself. The forms, Forces, include:
Slash for heavy damage attacks that nullify or cut and break through all kinds of physical defense.
Thrust, the Halberd Force, for heavy damage attacks that can stun on hit (the target being rendered immobile due to spear impalement) and penetrate through a line of enemies.
Blunt Strike for raising his defense by transforming into huge bracers, or using a special defensive technique for blocking and redirecting attacks.
Sweep mode for sweeping aside a row of enemies.
Parry mode for doing special counterattacks to do damage while deflecting physical attacks.
Shoot, the Cannon Force, for a large-bore, wave motion cannon-like "Lü Bu beam". The halberd separates into a large bow and arrow that charges and fires at the enemy.
RED HARE: the shining horse of the end of the world, is the Lu Bu's most trusted noble ghost, his faithful steed that accompanied him in his many battles, he takes the form of a somewhat reddish horse with armor.
Then Cuchulaind found the maiden on her playing field, with her foster-sisters around her. These were daughters of the lords of land that lived around the dun of Forgall. They were learning needle-work and fine handiwork from Emer. She was the one maiden whom he deigned to address and woo of the maidens of Erinn. For she had the six gifts—viz., the gift of beauty, the gift of voice, the gift of sweet speech, the gift of needle-work, the gift of wisdom, the gift of chastity. Cuchulaind said that no maiden should go with him but she who was his equal in age and shape and race, and skill and deftness, who was the best handworker of the maidens of Erinn, and that none was a fitting wife for him unless such were she. And as she was the one maiden that fulfilled all those conditions, Cuchulaind went to woo her above all. (The Wooing of Emer - Tr.Kuno Myer)
Emer
"Jewel of the Hound" Information
Class: Assassin
True Name: Emer Gender: Female
Source: Irish Mythology (Ulster Cycle)
Region: Europe (Ireland) Alignment: True Neutral Height: 165 CM
Weight 66.7kg
Parameters
Strength: D+ Endurance: D
Agility: C
Mana: C-
Noble Phantasm: B Luck: B-
Class Skills
Presence Concealment Rank E As an assassin class servant, this skill was a natural one for Emer to possess. However, as she is not trained in the ways of an assassin, nor does she naturally do much to hide her presence, this skill does not do much for her.
Personal Skills
Six Gifts of Womanhood A - Emer was said to possess the six gifts of Womanhood: The Gift of Beauty, The Gift of Voice, the Gift of Sweet Speech, The Gift of Needlework, The Gift of Wisdom, and the Gift of Chastity. It functions as something of a low-ranked "Imperial Privilege" skill - allowing Emer instant mastery of whatever is deemed "feminine" in her location of summoning. It also provides a resistance against mental attacks.
Golden Rule (Body) A - The possession of a perfect, goddess-like body. Fitting for someone who is the rival to several goddesses
Fighting Words A - Emer once bested the other renowned wives of Ulster heroes in a competition of words. As a servant, this allows her to assert her superiority over opponents and decrease their strength. She would later repeat this feat against Fand, leaving the fairy queen virtually unable to defend her stance when Emer came to retrieve her husband. As such, this skill has an increased success chance against Fae servants.
Noble Phantasm My Honor, My Words, My Deeds Onóir Con Eimhear A Noble Phantasm that works through Emer's words. Activated by announcing both her true name and the name of the Noble Phantasm, it imbues a magical quality into Emer's already persuasive words. While having something of a compulsive effect on all who hear her words, it could be said that [Onóir Con Eimhear] is an "Anti Cú Chulainn" Noble Phantasm, as it is a crystallization of both her wooing of the Hero (wherein she laid several conditions he must meet to marry her) and her asserting her superiority as his wife over the Fairy Queen Fand. As such, the compulsive effects of this Noble Phantasm most strongly affects heroes and individuals reminiscent of Cú Chulainn (in FGO Gameplay, this would be shown through an "Emer's Champion" trait). Against such heroes, it can be a command with as much power as a command seal, or even a "buff" that can increase their potential far beyond what would normally be expected. However, as the Noble Phantasm so is so heavily reliant on the target's identity, a command that goes against the targets "core nature" will be rejected.
Personality The perfect wife in all manner of ways. Chaste, humble, and wise. A braggart who never misses the chance to boast her prowess and superiority. Such is the contradiction of Emer, famed for her chastity, yet dirty talks Demigods in front of her friends and boasts about how all the Ulstermen would abandon their wives for her if only Emer would encourage it. She’s more restrained as a servant than she was in life, preferring to keep her more blatant boasting infrequent, and sneaking in more subtle boasts where she can. Adds a bit of flavor to the boast, in her opinion. In spite of this, she still maintains an open confidence regarding everything she does. For all her outward confidence and poise, she has something of a weakness for those who remind her of her husband (or heroes in general). These types can get her flustered surprisingly easily. The perfect housewife with iron will, atmospheric standards, and an ego to match even the greatest of heroes.
Motive and Attitude towards Master Emer treats her master with a kind of reserved respect. While she is outwardly kind and respectful, she still judges her master based purely on her own standards. A brutal honesty is taken towards them - although not for the sake of being rude.
Emer’s wish for the Holy Grail is “To Spend One More Week Alongside her Beloved''. She has no interest in a full second life, but a week should be enough to enjoy all there is to enjoy. Enough time to properly say goodbye on her terms.
Historical Depiction The Wife of Cú Chulainn, premier hero of the Ulster Cycle of Irish Mythology. The youngest child of Forgall Monach, and his favorite child. Even at a young age, Emer displayed all of the gifts of womanhood (Beauty, Sweet Speech, Needle Work, Voice, Wisdom, and Chastity). Cú Chulainn came to woo her when they were both 16, and it was love at first sight. However, Emer refused to be married to a nameless child, and demanded that Cú Chulainn perform great deeds before he was worthy to marry her. She also warned him against her father’s defenses, simultaneously providing him with great deeds to satisfy her. Cú Chulainn went off to train in the Land of Shadows, and soon enough returned, strong enough to thrash Forgall’s armys and retrieve Emer. Later, when the trickster Bricriu plotted to turn Ulster against itself, Emer competed against the wives of Ulster’s other two greatest heroes, and definitively bested them in both a footrace and a contest of words. Later, Emer would attempt to convince Cú Chulainn that he was going to fight his son Connla, but failed. Emer’s greatest adventure in the legends would come during her husband’s wasting sickness, after the assault on him by Fand, wife of Manannán Mac Lir, a member of the Tuatha De Danann. It was Emer’s words that roused him from his wasting sickness in order to go to Fand in order to seek a cure. When Cú Chulainn returned with Fand, having fallen for her during his time in the Otherworld, Emer gathered a group of 50 women to kill Fand. When Cú Chulainn tried to argue on Fand’s behalf, Emer’s words decisively outmaneuvered both her husband’s and Fand’s, and he was returned to her. Manannán himself then appeared, to guarantee that Cú Chulainn and Fand would never cross paths ever again, with either Manannan himself or the druids of Ulster wiping the incident from the couple’s memory (this memory wipe is no longer in effect when Emer is summoned as a servant) . This dispute between Emer and Fand was one that she won decisively - cementing both her iron will and reaffirming her status as “the best” even when compared to Queens from the Otherworld. When Cú Chulainn’s end finally came, she mourned him greatly, and some even say that she allowed herself to be buried with him.
Relationships Cú Chulainn (Lancer): Her beloved husband and model image of a hero. She takes him far less seriously than many others who may have known him - treating him with an extra layer of familiarity you’d expect from his spouse. Her wish for the grail is to reunite with him, so that they can say goodbye on her terms.
Cú Chulainn (Caster): Something of an enigma to Emer. While she knew magecraft was something her husband was capable of - she never remembered him preferring it compared to the spear or the sword. Of course, once she finds out how Caster Cú Chulainn himself feels about this situation, teasing him about his spearlessness came naturally.
Cú Chulainn (Prototype): Another enigma to Emer. While he certainly reminds her of “her” Cú Chulainn, both his younger age and nature of being from a different world/timeline makes her less open towards him compared to the other versions of her husband. She’ll still address him as “husband” but the two are far less close than Emer is with other Cú Chulainns.
Cú Chulainn (Alter): A Cú Chulainn not allowed to be “Cú Chulainn”, instead, the product of a wish made by Queen Medb upon the grail. As such, this is the Cú Chulainn Emer finds herself the most distant from, the one most separate from her. However, this does not stop Emer from loving him, from still seeing the Cú Chulainn within him.
Queen Medb: In spite of being the one responsible for the death of her husband, Emer treats Queen Medb surprisingly amiably, akin to a friendly rival. Whether this friendliness is mutual is far more debatable.
Diarmuid Ua Duibhne: Emer’s feelings towards Diarmuid are…conflicted, to say the least. While she admires Diarmuid on a personal level, and respects him as both a hero and a knight, his connections to Mannanan and fame for usurping the partner of a great hero make Emer uneasy due to causing an association with Fand.
Gilgamesh: The arrogant king of heroes who is the “Natural Enemy’ of her husband. If Emer’s feelings towards Diarmuid are “conflicted” then her feelings on the King of Heroes are downright tumultuous.
Archer (EMIYA): Someone she Manannán notes has something of a…”complex” animosity towards her husband. Emer decides that their business has nothing to do with her and to engage with Archer on her own terms. They get along reasonably well, but are still rather distant.
Bazett Fraga McRemitz (Manannán Mac Lir): Another one of her husband’s “fans”. Emer treats Bazett rather friendlily, and is rumored to pull her aside for “advice” from time to time. Emer’s only words for the god sharing Bazett’s spirit origin are, “Even gods are the type to deflect blame, I guess. Whatever floats your boat I guess. Just don’t get upset with me if I decide my husband’s problem solving strategy is better than mine next time, alright?”
Bibliography (I probably won't do this for every fanservant, but I do have one lying around for Ulster Cycle related material, so I'll put it here.) The Tain, translated by Thomas Kinsella Early Irish Myths and Sagas (Primarily "The Wasting Sickness of Cu Chulaind and the Only Jealousy of Emer), translated by Jeffery Gantz The Wooing of Emer, translated by Kuno Myer Cuchulainn of Muirthemne, Lady Augusta Gregory Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology, James Mackillop Myths and Legends of the Celts, James Mackillop The Celtic Myths that Shape the Way We Think, Mark Williams
Luck: B-
Last edited by OddEyedDuelist; October 14th, 2023 at 11:57 PM.
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Originally Posted by Skull
